ndia may be loved or hated, may be an object of devotion or Iderision. But there is hardly anyone Indian who is indifferent or The Idea of India lukewarm about this country. “You can take Indians out of India, but Bollywood as India’s Cultural Ambassador you can’t take India out of Indians” – so goes a popular saying. Most Madhu Kishwar people of Indian origin settled in foreign countries stay obsessed with India, no matter how far they move away. This engagement takes Four decades later, Alisha Chinai open their chests like Hanuman did many forms – some express it echoed the same sentiment in her for Ram and Sita, people would find through anger and outrage at the tantalising popular song Made in the map of India inscribed within. raging corruption, inefficiency and India. In the music video to the song, India indeed defies lack of will to set things right. Some Alisha wears a skin-tight western comprehension, especially for those others make a profession of outfit with a plunging neckline and who try to understand it through critiquing its many real and imagined bare shoulders. She looks like a books, research studies and as an ills. Still others turn rabid nightclub dancer from a Hollywood intellectual exercise. The ‘Real apologists. Most quietly sustain film but she croons soulfully for a India’ can only be understood by their faith in “The Wonder that was “Made in India” heart: connecting to the emotions of its India”. Dekhi hai saari duniya, Japan se people (as did Mahatma Gandhi), by Dil Hai Hindustani lekar Russia, understanding what touches their Not just a nation, India Australia se lekar America. hearts, what makes them perform represents a distinct civilisation and Dekha hai pyar ka sapna, miraculous feats or what makes them universe of values. It defies Dil chahe jo ho apna, indulge in the most brutal violations definition, containing an incredible Mil jayega ek sathiya, ek deshiya. of human rights; what makes diversity of peoples, religions, belief Made in India, made in India, Indians accept corruption as a way systems, languages, social Dil chahiye bas made in India. of life and what makes them rise structures, topographies, weather against it in rage and indignation. conditions and knowledge systems. The ‘Real India’ can only be known The ‘Real India’ can only India is not very easy to know and by coming to understand what understand. Yet Indians are very be understood by tuning triggers off large-heartedness and direct and open, they wear their into the hearts of its tolerance for others, no matter how hearts on their sleeves. You can people, rather than by different their values and appearances, and what evokes recognise ‘Indianness’ by tuning their external trappings. into people’s hearts rather than by vicious and mean responses. Under what circumstances do Indian men their external trappings. Raj Kapoor worship and revere women as expressed it very aptly in the famous The message is clear – you may Saraswatis, Lakshmis and Durgas song from the film Shree 420, dress and dance like Madonna or incarnate, and what makes some of challenging the “Be Indian, Buy Michael Jackson, you may wear them turn so woman-hating that they Indian” variety of nationalism jeans or mini-skirts, you may look like kill their own daughters as unwanted promoted by the government in the a vamp or a call girl – all those are burdens and torture their daughters- 1950’s: just externals. What really matters is in-law to death? Mera Joota hai Japani, that your heart stays Indian. Any Despite large doses of low-level Yeh patloon Englishtani, time our NRIs get deeply nostalgic vulgarity and mushy melodrama, Sar par lal topi Russi or sentimental, they proclaim their Bollywood films are perhaps the Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani. deep attachment to their Indian roots best contemporary guide to (My shoes are Japanese, these not by showing you their investment understanding what moves the pants are English; on my head I wear portfolios or listing the number of Indian heart, what values Indians of a red Russian cap and yet my heart times they visit India every year, but today endorse as quintessentially remains Indian.) by proclaiming that if they could tear their own.
4 MANUSHI Forced to a Reappraisal melodrama and predictability of its Those among MANUSHI’s readers Bollywood films are stories. An important reason for this who are familiar with the exported to more than a enduring resonance is that the two great unflatteringly critical film reviews I hundred countries, which is epics of India, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, which are also the two wrote in the magazine’s early issues extraordinary, given that are likely to be surprised by such a foundational texts of the Indic radical change in my evaluation of the these films have hardly civilisation, have provided a very role played by Bollywood films. I wish been allowed to avail widely acceptable base for the artistic to clarify at the outset that this is a themselves of any development of Indian commercial re-evaluation that has been forced on legitimate funding. cinema. They are often critiqued, their me. Whenever my own views seem values challenged, even parodied – but contrary to popular opinion, as the stories within stories of these great someone who believes in respecting the export of films through illegal epics remain the foundational people’s choices, I believe it is my channels. Dubai became the centre of discourse of Bombay cinema. They duty to try and understand things distribution for Indian films, cementing function as meta-texts of Indian from their perspective and to be Bollywood’s ties with the underworld tradition and dharmic values. The willing to modify my own views even further. Ironically, it is this worldview they propagate and the accordingly, especially if popular underworld-dominated industry that values they uphold have proved opinion does not seem to be harmful has chosen to churn out sentimental remarkably resilient despite pressures to others. Treating other people’s morality tales as entertainers and has for change. choices with disdain when they do assumed the mantle of inculcating As Dhirubhai Sheth aptly puts it: not conform to one’s own values and what are commonly believed to be “Bollywood films have come to play tastes invariably strengthens Indian sanskars. the same role as pauranic kathas authoritarian tendencies. This is why The New Moral Custodians (tales) and the bhakti movement did in I have revised many of my positions Yet, it is this moral mantle that is key the medieval period when Vedic on important social and political to understanding Bollywood’s appeal knowledge went into decline and the issues and it is what has compelled for its audiences, despite the low-brow original sources of the civilisational me to review my attitude to moral code began drying up. At such a Bollywood films. time the pauranic kathas took on the I began taking Bollywood films task of preaching morality and giving seriously and looking at them in a new people a spiritual anchor through way only after I experienced their narrative accounts of mythical heroes popularity abroad and saw how this and heroines whose lives demonstrated industry had positioned itself as through personal example the desired India’s most powerful cultural social and moral code.” ambassador; that too without any This is the same epoch in which official encouragement or patronage. Tulsidas rewrote the Valmiki Bollywood films are exported to more Ramayana as the Ramcharit Manas than a hundred countries, which is in the bhakti idiom, and presented the extraordinary given that these films mythic hero Ram as the Maryada have hardly been allowed to avail Purushottam (the best of men, the themselves of any legitimate funding. upholder of the moral code) as Denied industry status, Bollywood opposed to the very humanly flawed could not raise finances legally, leaving Ram of Valmiki’s Ramayana. This is even the best of its directors to rely on the period when India faced repeated black money and finance from the invasions and the polytheistic Indic underworld. Our unimaginative and civilisation faced ideological, bureaucratic censor boards have a theological and social onslaughts history of needless harassment and from monotheistic Islam. This historic creating hurdles in clearing films for clash was very creatively ameliorated screening. Until recently, India’s The romantic icons of the 50s: through powerful socio-religious closed-door economy necessitated Raj Kapoor and Nargis in Shree 420. movements – the bhakti movement
No.139 5 within the Hindu fold and Sufism enthusiasm. I would like to emphasise countries are their newspapers, TV within Islam – which built bridges of that these responses are based mostly channels and select intellectuals from communication between the two on Bollywood hits which became a India who act as native informants, contrary worldviews. The shrines of Sufi rage internationally as well. (This is “interpreting” to the white world our pirs became common centres of not to overlook the fact that many social evils and problems. worship for Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. Bollywood also makes many crude, Western media have made India’s The affirmation of a distinct moral vulgar and violent melodramas. dowry murders and satis far more code, just as the pauranic kathas However, it is significant that most wondrous, exotic and famous than the once did, was a task that befell Indian of these are commercial flops.) Taj Mahal, the Konarak Temple, the cinema, given its birth at a time when When one travels to Europe, Qutab Minar, the ghats of Varanasi North America or Australia, India India faced a major ideological and other such renowned symbols of (for those few who are at all onslaught from the imperialist West. India’s heritage. Not surprisingly, interested in its existence) is Indian cinema was in its infancy when before India produced the great synonymous with poverty, disease, the Mahatma Gandhi-led national information technology success movement was at its peak; stories, it evoked mainly derision and unsurprisingly, most of our contempt among most Europeans, Bollywood directors and screenplay Americans or Australians. writers were deeply influenced by the Connecting across Cultures Gandhian worldview. Many of them However, whenever one travels consciously and deliberately made to any of the non-European their films a vehicle for carrying countries – from the Middle East to messages of social reform. Film upon the Far East, from the backwaters of film, then and since, has dealt Africa to the troubled shores of obsessively with several key Russia – people know India mainly components of Gandhi’s social through Bollywood masalas. These concerns, including (to name just a are not primarily made for the benefit few): the oppression of women in of the outside world. Bollywood films family and society (Dil Ek Mandir, are about Indians sharing with other Astha, Mrityudand, Nikaah); caste- Indians their hopes, fears and based inequalities (Sujata, Acchut romantic aspirations, their critique of Kanya, Haasil); the sad plight of their own society, their anger against farmers (Do Bigha Zameen, Mother what they perceive as unjust and India, Ganga Jamuna); communal unacceptable, the kind of prejudice (Dharmaputra, Chhalia, transformations and social reforms Zakhm, Krantiveer) and the divide they aspire to see take place, their between the rich and the poor notions of the good life and of fair- (Pyaasa, Lawaaris, Namak Haram, play. Bollywood has synthesised the Jaagte Raho, Ameer-Gharib ). emotional life of NRIs living in India Through Other Eyes distant and diverse cultures and has Among Bollywood’s most made them feel “Indian” by making important cultural contributions are them feel connected to their cultural the emotional bridges it has built with values. From Kashmir to India for people of diverse races, Kanyakumari, from California to nationalities and languages and the Film as katha: Kuala Lumpur, from Trinidad to manner in which it has made them feel stills from Kaliya Mardan, 1919. Tokyo and from Dubai to Dublin, deeply connected with the Indian these films are the heartbeat of the worldview and way of life, albeit often wife murders, dowry torture, burning Hindustani dil, both of the resident in rather caricatured form. Much of of widows, killing of baby girls, and the non-resident variety. Indians what I am going to say is gathered communal riots, caste atrocities and of all ages have overcome linguistic from informal interviews and chats pervasive human rights abuses. This barriers and made Hindi film songs with people in diverse countries who is because the basic sources of the vehicle for expressing their most go to see our films with devotion and information about India in these heartfelt sentiments.
6 MANUSHI Astonishing Outreach The Bombay film industry produces around 900 films a year – more popular entertainment than any other film centre in the world. And yet, unlike Hollywood, Bollywood did not start off with global aspirations. Hollywood spends a good deal of money and energy capturing world markets. Bollywood could never afford that kind of international publicity, yet its films have travelled far and wide on little more than word-of-mouth. Ours is the only film industry in the world which has offered American films any real competition. Hollywood’s share in many other film markets is up at 60 to 90 per cent, but it has failed to make a dent on the enormous Indian market where it One of the many roops of the Indian woman: Madhuri Dixit, the ‘90s rage. averages a mere 5 per cent. Inter- nationally as well, the entire non- could ever hope to be in non-western those countries whose governments European world has found a much countries. They are not just cult have long been hostile to India. When greater emotional appeal and figures; among film aficionados they are the Pakistan government recently fascination in Bollywood masalas also perceived as role models and moral banned the telecast of Bombay films than in American films. Their exemplars on the strength of the to Pakistani homes, Pakistan’s cable popularity is particularly astonishing, oversimplified but warm-hearted values operators went on strike and forced given their overwhelmingly Hindu/ they propagate as characters in various their government to withdraw the ban. runaway hits. Films like Dilwale Indic worldview. TV networks in This, at a time when the Indian and Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Hum Aapke Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Pakistani governments were locked in Hain Kaun, Mission Kashmir, Amar serious conflict over the issue of Thailand, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco Akbar Anthony and Zanjeer don’t just and many other Afro-Asian countries tell entertaining stories. They are treated cross-border terrorism and had provide a staple diet of Indian cinema, as moral fables which propagate a severed even normal diplomatic ties. often half-a-dozen films in a day. On consistent set of what are seen as Even at the height of Indo-Pak the theatre circuits, audiences come “quintessential” Indian values – despite hostilities, Bollywood films were still to see the same films again and again all the dhishum dhishum scenes and the being smuggled into Pakistan and were and in many of these countries, one sexy latka jhatka dance numbers. playing in the homes of army generals hears people of all ages singing the Bollywood has conquered the as well as government ministers. songs of Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai or hearts and minds of people even in Bombay film songs can be heard Kal Ho Na Ho, even if they do not booming loudly out of the jeeps of know a word of Hindi. In many police officers as well as from ordinary countries of Africa and the Middle At the time of the buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws. At East and in small towns, even villages, Lahore Bus Yatra, Prime the time of the Lahore Bus Yatra, Prime of Indonesia and Malaysia, I have Minister Atal Bihari Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was seen children break into Hindi film Vajpayee was reported reported to have been received by a songs to greet one as a visitor from to have been received by group of young Pakistanis with the India, to communicate a sense of a group of young following chant: “Madhuri de do, bonding, despite language and other Kashmir le lo.” (Take Kashmir, but give barriers. Amitabh Bachhan, Madhuri Pakistanis with the us Madhuri.) Dixit, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and chant: “Madhuri de do, In Afghanistan, after the fall of the Aamir Khan are far more popular than Kashmir le lo.” Taliban, one of the first acts of any Hollywood star has ever been or celebration noticed was the sight of
No.139 7 people queuing up outside cinema dress with a revealing neckline. When halls to see Bombay films. In almost all Bollywood frowns upon Sunil Dutt, in visibly poor health, came the Islamic countries, including those mindless modernity even up on the stage, she not only rushed whose ruling regimes have imposed as it vigorously endorses to assist him, but bent down to touch very oppressive forms of religious an appropriate dose of it his feet. The entire family, from fundamentalism that mandate keeping grandmother to grandchildren, women veiled and in seclusion, people if we are not to end up as spontaneously burst into appreciative are addicted to Bollywood films where misfits in today’s world. remarks such as, “See how Indian she skimpily dressed heroines dance in Likewise, respect for remains despite all the westernisation parks, in nightclubs and in the streets. tradition is applauded and stardom.” Thereafter, the mother The depiction of the free lifestyles of while slavish adherence in this family gave her own little speech women in Hollywood evokes sharp, to her children on the importance of fearful responses in many to it is disapproved of respecting elders and remaining conservative Muslim countries but and even ridiculed. humble, no matter how successful one Bollywood films are embraced warmly. becomes. It was revealing to me that Traditional Yet Modern even the old grandmother showed no tries to show how to swim in the waters disapproval of Karishma’s seductive Bombay films have become the of both tradition and modernity. staple emotional diet of people in many and revealing outfit. That one gesture Let me describe how Bollywood of spontaneous respect for an elder societies that are getting performs this role by recounting a small “westernised” and “modernised” (given that Karishma was not on stage but revealing incident. About two acting the role of a Hindi film bahu, without being comfortable about it. years ago, I was sitting at a but was being herself) endeared her They are popular because they don’t neighbour’s house with an entire joint so much to everyone in the room that just play on those anxieties. They family, including an 80 year-old it did not matter whether she wore a always attempt to resolve these grandmother and a couple of grand- bikini or a burqa. conflicts and present a world where a aunts, all watching some film award happy balance is possible and even function. For one of the awards, Bridging the Age Divide desirable – provided certain “eternal” Karishma Kapoor was invited to act While Bollywood has been core values are kept intact, values that as the ceremonial host. Her job was to obsessively propagandising the allow for maintaining a healthy, announce the winner of a particular value of stable and harmonious creative relationship with tradition award and call upon an ageing Sunil families as a hallmark of Indian while adopting modernity in Dutt to do the honours. She appeared culture, it has been as steadfast in appropriate doses. The success of on the stage in a sexy skin-tight mini- dealing with inter-generational Bollywood lies in its offering what conflicts in values and aspirations. appears like a viable alternative to a Our filmmakers are obsessed with narcissistic variety of individualism resolving such conflicts in a way that that often seems to come with leads to greater understanding and westernisation. People in non-western harmony in the larger family rather cultures feel threatened by this kind than a breakdown or nuclearisation of individualism because it undermines of it. Young people are encouraged traditional institutions, especially the to revolt against parental tyranny but institution of the family. not to disown responsibility for the Bollywood frowns upon mindless care and respect due their parents modernity even as it vigorously and other elders. endorses an appropriate dose of it if A large majority of Bollywood films we are not to end up as misfits in since the 1940s depict the hero and today’s world. Likewise, respect for heroine asserting their right to choose tradition is applauded while slavish their marital partner while their parents adherence to it is disapproved of and resist this choice on grounds of even ridiculed. This echoes Mahatma economic and social status, caste or Gandhi’s advice: “To swim in the religion. However, this clash is, by and waters of tradition is healthy but to Jhatka thumka trendsetter large, never allowed to lead to a sink in them is suicide.” Bollywood Karishma Kapoor. permanent rift or estrangement. Even
8 MANUSHI while rebelling against the far more committed to family values into complete confidence and a mother authoritarian mindset of their parents, than the Punjab born-and-raised can be willing to risk the family’s social children are expected to win parents groom selected by Amrish Puri for his humiliation and her husband’s wrath over to their point of view with daughter. The Punjabi groom is finally rather than force her daughter to marry patience and love. rejected because he proves that he is a man she does not love. The film gives Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge actually a “non-Indian resident” (a term a clear message that a good parent is provides the most well worked-out commonly used to refer to some one one who is sensitive to his/her child’s role model of a healthy inter- who lives in India without behaving emotional needs and that an generational equation. The NRI like an Indian), has adopted a very authoritarian parent, no matter how patriarch of the family is outraged decadent life style and was merely good-hearted and well-meaning, is in at discovering that his daughter has interested in using his NRI bride as a need of reform. fallen in love with a young and means to get a British visa and a Bollywood has conveyed this boisterous NRI, played by Shah passport to a licentious life-style. message with untiring zeal and Rukh Khan. He forcibly takes her to By contrast, our Indian-hearted consistency: a happy and stable his native village in Punjab so that hero, though living in Europe, is so family is the bedrock of our he can marry her off to a real desi civilisation, a family cannot be Indian who, in his view, can only stable if it is a site of oppression be found back home. The rest of and injustice. While our films the film is a charming, fun-filled have been obsessive in teaching story of how Shah Rukh Khan young people the value of works hard to earn the love and sacrifice, commitment to family respect of his authoritarian well-being and respect for elders, father-in-law. He does domestic they have been no less steadfast chores and wins over the hearts in telling parents and other elders of each member of the family with that they have to earn the respect love, cheerful service and good of young people by humour. He is so effective that understanding their aspirations Kajol’s mother offers to help and the demands of changing them elope because she fears her times. Hum Aapke Hain Kaun husband’s wrath and believes he projects precisely such a happy can never be made to change his balance between parents and mind. But Shah Rukh Khan Winning hearts: Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol children. Film after film reminds refuses to elope, for that would in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, 1995. audiences that to command mean humiliating his beloved’s slavish obedience from children is to family and causing a permanent hurt steeped in “Indian values” that he destroy family well-being. to a father-figure, which would rule does not stoop to pre-marital sex with out a mutually respectful and his beloved, even when she is in an Breaking Role Restrictions trusting relationship between them inebriated condition and they Bollywood depicts Indian for the rest of their lives. accidentally end up in the same bed. families in all permutations and Sure enough, these Gandhian He knows that a sexual encounter combinations. There are those in methods of winning over the against her wishes would make her which some women are the ostensibly hard-hearted and lose trust in him and get her into deep domineering matriarchs (for example, tyrannical man through love and trouble with her parents. He also has a Deena Pathak in Khubsurat) and uncomplaining suffering result in a very special and close bond with his those where women have little or no happy and voluntary change of father who gives him full support and say and are brutally oppressed (as heart. However, he achieves this becomes an active partner in the young with Raveena Tandon’s character in result only by undergoing a whole lover’s attempt to endear himself to his Daman). We see wronged daughters- series of self-imposed trials to beloved’s family. The film clearly holds in-law as well as those who become demonstrate that he may have been up this father-son relationship as ideal tyrants for the whole family; there raised in England and, from the between parents and children. are domineering mothers-in-law outside, may look and behave like a Similarly, Kajol’s relationship with her who ruin the lives of their boisterous London teenager, but in mother is projected as a positive one daughters-in-law, and also those his heart he is far more Indian and where a daughter can take her mother who protect their bahus even against
No.139 9 their own sons’ tyranny or caprice, jhatka thumka number in a nightclub as in Biwi No.1. It is Bollywood that gets one hour will be shown singing a What we have here is a whole the world to see that melodious bhajan with her family in range of Mother Indias – women who Indian culture allows for the next, only perhaps to move on to becoming an efficient manager of her are strong and resilient in the face of a whole diversity of roles the greatest adversity while family business a few scenes later. It and personae for a retaining the nurturing qualities and is through Bollywood films that compassion associated with Parvati; woman: a much larger people are told that Indian women are able to assert their rights without Sita-like mother-goddesses who can, range than is available in leading to a breakdown of families; at a minute’s notice, also turn into the writings of social that every woman desirous of the real Durgas. These multifaceted historians and recognition of her selfhood does not roops, or incarnations, of femininity, journalists. have to walk out of her home in order derived from mythology, history and to win freedom; that a woman can legend and given contemporary win everyone over to her point of coinage through our films, have stand up against wrong doers, even view rather than be despised for her enthralled audiences in many parts if that involves challenging their own assertiveness. In the few cases where of the world, including those that husbands – as does Madhuri Dikshit a woman feels that her well-being lies have come to impose very in Mrityudand in a memorable in walking out of her home like oppressive and restrictive norms of confrontation with her husband, Ibsen’s Nora, Bollywood invariably behaviour on women. In each of when she deals him the stunning puts a firm stamp of approval on her these varied incarnations a woman verbal blow: “Aap pati hain, choice, rather than condemn her (for is reverence-worthy. It is Bollywood parmeshwar banne ki koshish mat instance, Astitva and Arth). that gets the world to see that Indian kijiye!” (You are a husband, please In most academic tracts and culture allows for a whole diversity don’t try to play God) studies, Indian men are projected as of roles and personae for a woman: Undoing Stock Perceptions cruel patriarchs who are insensitive a much larger range than is available Bollywood keeps transmitting to the needs of women and subject in the writings of social historians this message with perseverance: a them to all kinds of oppression and and journalists. A woman can woman need not be frozen into a misery. In recent decades Indian men choose to be a steadfast spouse like stereotype. The ease with which have gained international notoriety Sita, or a besotted lover like Radha, Indian film heroines switch from for committing atrocities on women who throws all social restraints to jeans to miniskirts to traditional saris, and for denying women their basic the winds, or a fearless, awe- ghagra cholis, tennis shorts and on human rights. Bollywood goes inspiring Durga. She could be a Rani to bikinis, all as part of normal, daily beyond this simplistic stereotype Roopmati or a Rani Jhansi. She could routine, is an indication of the role and shows the soft and sentimental be a Mirabai or an Indira Gandhi. It diversity allowed to them. The same side of the Indian male as well. It is through our films that the message woman who is crooning away in a sends a clear message to the world: is communicated that an Indian in India even men are expected to woman’s role in life is not to suffer The same woman who value family ties and happiness more indignities and tolerate injustice, that is crooning away in a than wealth and careers. it is in her to rise like Durga and jhatka thumka number in In the worldview reiterated in our destroy evil, that such a Durga-like films time and time again, you cannot woman is not despised for her a nightclub one hour will be a good human being without strength but revered, even by men. be shown singing a being a devoted son, a doting Even if she chooses to be a devoted melodious bhajan with her brother, a caring husband and a good and long-suffering wife, Bollywood family in the next, only father who puts the happiness and is often at pains to point out that perhaps to move interests of his children above his this is not because suffering is a on to becoming an own. The Bollywood hero may be a woman’s fate, but because she great doctor or a feared dacoit, a wishes to be the instrument of reform efficient manager of her gangster or an upright police officer, of unreasonable and tyrannical family business a few a Gandhian social reformer or a feudal members of her family. We see Sita- scenes later. aristocrat – but he is qualified as a like wives assume Chandi roop and hero by his family values, particularly
10 MANUSHI with regard to his female relatives. celebrated in numerous Bombay Muslims, Christians or Sikhs – and Our filmi hero may be a don on the films. In the worldview of has shown them as cherishing their streets, but at home he becomes a Bollywood, a man who respects and close ties as neighbours, friends, gooey-gooey, sentimental son who cherishes this bond can never be colleagues and fellow citizens. will defy heaven and earth to fulfill evil even if he makes a living in The positive and often romantic his mother’s wishes. The status of a criminal activities. portrayal of non-Hindu religious mother is higher than that of God; An Affectionate Pluralism minorities in Indian films is another you may defy God, but you do not For newspaper-reading intellect- major reason for their international act against the wishes of your uals across the world, India is often popularity. Bollywood has shown mother. Even if a mother slaps her closely associated with recurring the world how people of different grown-up son in righteous rage, a communal riots and ethnic strife faiths join joyfully in each other’s good son never holds a grudge, leave between Hindus and Muslims, festivals, lay down their lives alone retaliates against or abuses his Christians and Sikhs. However, in the protecting each other and share in mother. minds of ordinary people in societies, each other’s joys, griefs and family This unquestioning reverence usually non-European, where the secrets. The theme song of the film extends even to a stepmother, who Dhool ka Phool made in the late may, like Kaikeyi, suddenly turn 1950s: Na tu Hindu banega na vicious. In Hum Saath Saath Hain, Musalman banega, insaan ki aulad for instance, the stepmother is hai, insaan banega (You should goaded into breaking the close grow up to be neither Hindu nor bonding of the three brothers in Musalman, you are the child of a favour of her own biological son, so human being and should remain a that her eldest stepson is not made human being), echoes the sentiment the head of the family’s business of bhakt Kabir. This sentiment has empire. But the three sons remain been repeated in film after film, steadfast in their mutual devotion, strengthening the message that all just like Ram, Lakshman and Bharat are sons and daughters of Mother of the Ramayana. More importantly, India and are therefore inseparable, the eldest son, in the footsteps of no matter how hard the politicians the hero of the Ramayana, willingly try to break their unity and sense of undergoes all kinds of privations and oneness. adversities in the interest of family The Sikhs are invariably depicted well-being and unity. Never for a as generous, large-hearted, jovial, minute does he hold a grudge sincere friends, neighbours and against his stepmother for her injustice towards him. Finally, like colleagues – always ready to help. Valmiki’s Ram, he too, through love, They are portrayed as men of raw courage and willingness to take great generosity and patient suffering, is The quintessential oneness of risks for their friends and able to make his stepmother realise Amar Akbar Anthony, 1975. her mistake and accept the neighbours. Indian Christians are presented as God-fearing, simple superiority of a well-bonded joint idea of India has been shaped by people. If they are Goan, they are also family over an individualistic nuclear Bollywood hits, India is seen as a shown as fun loving. Christian family. place where an incredibly large priests are invariably depicted as The hero also has to be a devoted spectrum of diverse religious, and fond brother who will shed linguistic and ethnic castes and kind-hearted providers of charity, blood and sweat to put together the communities coexist, bonded by a help and shelter to those in need. required money for the marriage of deep affection and making a Churches are always shown as his sister, who will pamper her like a respectful space for each other’s places that provide spiritual and little princess if she is younger and unique cultural and religious emotional succour to anyone in be a Hanuman-like devotee if she is identities. Film after film has distress. Hindi films are replete with older. The unique emphasis given to obsessively emphasised the scenes of Hindus walking into a the brother-sister bond, as quintessential oneness of people of church at a time of crisis to seek symbolised by raksha bandhan, is diverse faiths – be they Hindus, Mother Mary’s blessings. Similarly,
No.139 11 true believers in Islam, the mazhabi inadvertently killed by her own Bollywood has shown Muslims, are invariably depicted as husband. When her adopted son enormous wisdom in driving home pious human beings whose faith becomes a terrorist to avenge the the message that Pakistan may be teaches them to treat all human beings death of his parents, she does not playing evil games and may have to as equals and who are steadfast in their stop loving him. She is killed by a be dealt with as an enemy, but loyalties and commitments, including bomb meant for her husband and Muslims, as Muslims, are not to be their loyalty to the land of their birth. planted by her adopted son, blamed or scapegoated for the Portraits of Patriotism underscoring the theme that terrorism political mischief of the government A repeated popular device for is not the right path for redressing of Pakistan. Bombay, Mission portraying Muslims as no less, if not political wrongs, that the politics of Kashmir, Sarhad and a host of such in fact more, patriotic than Hindus, is hate destroys not just the targets films dealing with cross-border to depict them in roles of great of hate but also those who act out terrorism take pains to distinguish responsibility, taking on anti-national of hate. The boy finally joins hands between ordinary Muslims and elements and defending village, ethnic with his adoptive father to save his ideological jehadis who are shown or national solidarity. For example, a homeland Kashmir when he realises as misguided youth rather than as film made to honour the martyrs of that his terrorist colleagues were demons. When Indian Muslims (or the Kargil war – Ma Tujhe Salaam – planning to blow up an important Sikhs) take to political violence, they opens with a young Muslim are almost always shown as army officer being put in reluctant terrorists who are charge of the most sensitive pushed into the arms of border post along the Indo- external jehadis (who remain Pak border. In the very first anonymous as the forces of scene, his village-based evil), after witnessing human mother sends him a letter rights violations and abuse of saying, “Always remember power by security forces, you have two mothers – me resulting in the torture or and Bharat Ma (Mother death of close family India). Your duty to Bharat members or friends (as Ma comes before your duty happens in Maachis, Mission to me.” In the same film, a Kashmir, Roja and Sarhad). reformed terrorist, hand-in- And since they too have an hand with a Hindu army Mission Kashmir, 2000: Discontents return to the fold “Indian heart”, it does not officer, defends Kashmir in a sympathetic portrayal of terrorism. take long for them to be from invaders from across reformed and return to the the border when he realises that mosque in order to foment fold of Indian nationalism. Thus, foreign jehadis want to destroy communal trouble. even Muslim terrorists are not mosques and promote internal strife Driving Home a Message denied their humanity, if they are among the people of Kashmir. To Indian. convey the idea that religion does not Compare those portrayals to the This gives the average Muslim divide them he proclaims: “Our mazhab demonised stereotypical ones of outside India an image of a country may be different, but our mulk is the Muslims in Hollywood masalas where Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and same.” which deal with such themes and Christians not only cherish their In Mission Kashmir, the man in- one cannot help but be impressed friendship, social and civilisational charge of anti-insurgency oper- by the instinctive wisdom shown by bonds but also demonstrate their ations in Kashmir is a Muslim Bollywood directors, script-writers ability to work out very sophisticated Inspector-General of Police, married and producers in not using a norms of co-living. In how many to a Hindu woman. Their powerful medium like cinema to other countries do you see people relationship is portrayed as an generate feelings of hatred and of different religious faiths worship idyllic romance. The wife keeps her phobic mistrust. It is also proof that at common shrines? Which other Hindu identity intact; she goes to the average citizen of India cinema of the world would very the temple and retains her Hindu endorses this view. Otherwise matter-of-factly show a Hindu girl name. However she also adopts a Bollywood could not afford to sink child kneel before the Quran with Muslim orphan whose parents were crores of rupees in such films. due respect and appropriate rituals
12 MANUSHI and pray for a boon to Allah, as out their own code of ethics. In the happens in Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai. One cannot help but be Indic civilisation, gods and Allah even gracefully answers the impressed by the goddesses assume their human call of this kafir child. Which other instinctive wisdom shown avatars and descend to earth. They non-Islamic country would project by Bollywood directors, come and live in the world of an underworld Muslim don, as in script-writers and ordinary men and women – sharing Ghulam-E-Mustafa, as an their joys, sorrows, trials and essentially good-hearted and god- producers in not using a tribulations. And, in their human fearing person, trapped in the world powerful medium like incarnations, the very same yardstick of crime due to force of cinema to generate is used to judge them that human circumstance? The cinematic device feelings of hatred and beings apply to each other. If used for establishing the genuine phobic mistrust. Krishna, as the avatar of Vishnu, piety of this underworld don is to plays naughty pranks as a child, his show him in the introductory shot mother has the right to give him a in solitary prayer in an ancient festivals. They see Hindu actresses good thrashing. If, as an adolescent, mosque. Aishwarya Rai and Preity Zinta he harasses young gopis and village Not surprisingly, Muslims (even playing hot love-scenes opposite the women, they too take him to task in of those societies where religious Muslim super stars of Bollywood – their own ways. Bhagwan Ram is fundamentalism of a very intolerant Shah Rukh and Aamir Khan – without worshipped as the Maryada variety is pushed down people’s evoking any hysterical negative Purushottam – the best among men throats by very authoritarian responses. – for observing his dharmic duties regimes) rejoice in the India that Of Deities and Devotees as a son, a brother, a king and a Bollywood brings to them. They Bollywood as the most effective friend. But when this avatar of rejoice in the liberal Islam that took cultural ambassador of India has also Vishnu treats his devoted wife Sita roots in the Indic civilisation. The kept people reminded that in the Indic unjustly, ordinary people have the portrayal of Muslims does not worldview there is no sharp dividing right to criticise his unfair actions offend their sensibilities and self- line between the human and the divine. and the freedom to script their own view. India appears as a land of God is not a distant entity who sits versions of the Ramayana which freedom, of love and romance, of somewhere above in Heaven, giving depict him acting more honourably mutual respect and tolerance, of orders and commandments, expecting than he did in the original Ramayana celebration of diversity, a land of unconditional obedience, doling out created by sage Valmiki. song and dance. rewards for obedience and In other words, it is Bollywood, If an average Indonesian, punishments for those who dare work more than any other cultural source, Malaysian, Saudi or Kuwaiti is which has resisted the attempts of asked to list two or three prominent some of our inferiority-complex things associated with India, she ridden netas to make our gods and or he is unlikely to name the goddesses above criticism and demolition of the Babri Masjid, reinterpretation, outdoing Christian Hindu-Muslim riots or the Gujarat and Muslim fundamentalists in carnage. Her/his idea of India is making Hindu gods jealous and informed by Bombay films depicting intolerant. Bollywood keeps the quintessential oneness of Amar reminding people that even the Akbar Anthony – their unbreakable gods are not to be credited with friendship and love. They are perfection. They too have flaws and shown a world where Rehman they too make mistakes. It is for chacha is an invariably loved and devotees to demand and ensure respected elder of whichever improved behaviour every time mohalla he is living in, even when gods make errors of judgement or it is mainly inhabited by Hindus and act too whimsically. In film after Sikhs. They see India as a land film, we are shown a devotee who where people of different religions chastises a favoured deity for join in celebrating each other’s A very human deity: Jai Santoshi Ma, 1975. allowing evil people an upper hand
No.139 13 in life or permitting injustice to figure to be feared and obeyed poke fun at their gods, quarrel with thrive. And the isht dev or devi is unconditionally. Bollywood has no their favourite deities and provoke the expected to respond to the hesitation in showing people who gods to prove their worth to their chastisement and come to the aid make fun of gods, crack jokes about devotees by actually coming to the aid of the devotee in times of need. This them or even treat them as a nuisance, of good over evil. In societies where aid might come through the agency as in the film Swarag Narak. The hero, power-wielders project Allah as of a human, an animal or even a played by Sanjeev Kumar, is very someone remote, to be feared and held reptile. Dogs, horses, birds and proud of the fact that he is a self-made in total awe, where Islam or the Quran even snakes are depicted in our films man – a typical rags-to-riches story. cannot be criticised openly from public as active players coming to the aid The film portrays a very charming platforms, let alone through films, the of human beings who, like Draupadi, relationship between him and Lord ease with which Hindu gods and appeal for divine intervention. Such Krishna, who keeps appearing to mock goddesses are openly depicted an interplay should not be him for his arrogance in thinking that allowing liberties to their devotees dismissed as mere gimmicks. It he alone shapes his destiny and that appears very attractive. carries the important message that of his family. Sanjeev Kumar, as the To Sum Up Indic gods are not distant creatures. hero, treats Krishna as an unwelcome Bollywood is much more complex They are willing to be at the beck pest and keeps shooing him off and a far greater agent for positive and call of devotees who reach out social change than is commonly for their deities as they would for acknowledged by those who claim to close relatives in times of stress. Films also depict represent the high culture of India. This happens not only in popular ordinary mortals playing Reviews of Hindi cinema in avant- mythologicals like Jai Bhawani or and having fun with guard intellectual journals like the Shiv Puran, but in countless other divinities ...Bollywood Economic and Political Weekly films with more secular themes, has no hesitation in accuse our filmmakers of spreading religious obscurantism, Hindu where the personal deity constantly showing people who comes to the aid of the supplicant fundamentalism, anti-women attitudes, devotee and defeats the evil make fun of gods, crack animosity towards minorities. They are designs of all those who seek to jokes about them or attacked as conservative defenders of harass him/her. even treat them as a an anachronistic status quo. I myself This constant interplay of the nuisance. belonged to this category in some human and the divine takes many measure, as several of my early film forms. On the one hand it shows gods reviews testify. and goddesses can display very through most of the film until the life The new Brahmins of India are human failings. In Jai Santoshi Ma, choices his children make brings embarrassed by the worldview of for example, Lakshmi and Parvati are across to him the hard realisation that Bollywood as well as aggressive in shown as being jealous of Santoshi Krishna’s message about the need for their disapproval of its value system. Ma, a new upstart goddess. They humility should have been heeded. Is it not a case of a repeat of the harass her devotees till they both (His pampered daughter, for instance, hostility of the Brahminical orthodoxy realise their mistake and make peace chooses to marry her horse-riding towards the popular upsurge of bhakti with Santoshi Ma, making space for instructor while Sanjeev Kumar nursed in the medieval period – with just this her in the pantheon of goddesses. the ambition to marry her to a wealthy one difference: the new Brahmins of Films also depict ordinary mortals high-status man.) Even in this film, the today are not rooted in Sanskrit playing and having fun with divinities. purpose is not to show the victory of learning. They are the products of elite Scenes of the raaslila, of Krishna the divine will over the human, but the English medium schools and colleges. playing Holi with gopis, or those need for humility and graceful Consequently, their manners and depicting Radha and Krishna in love acceptance of how each person’s tastes resemble those of their or the Shiva-Parvati romance (with destiny unfolds for him/her, rather than intellectual tutors in the West. Parvati enjoying the right to veto and believe that you can play god with This is a revised version of a change any number of decisions of the either your own fate or your children’s. presentation at the Conference on the all-powerful Shiva) are a source of Many people in several Islamic “Idea of India”, organised by the immense fascination for people countries told me they were fascinated Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, New Delhi, brought up to view God as a distant by the freedom with which Hindus May 10-11, 2003.
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